Finding out

The students have chosen their specific research topic and came up with research questions. They have started planning for their research; identifying sources and gathering data.

To focus our research we are using the reading strategies connecting, comparing, inferring and creating images. While reading at home students can practice these strategies by making connections to previous experiences in their own lives, comparing writing styles and perspectives of the different texts they read.

In language we are focusing on writing personal recount. Students are expected to use descriptive details about significant events from their own lives.

Home learning:

Talk about some memorable moments in your family and send photos to help the students verbally recount that event.

Following on from Annie’s request to make an action plan, visit this website with your parents and sign up to upload your action plan. What 5 changes will you make to help combat global warming? You will receive a climate ambassador certificate.

Guide your child in his/her data gathering, focusing on the research questions

The reason for exploration

The impacts of exploration (benefits and drawbacks)

What innovation is needed to make this exploration successful

What new understandings have been developed as a result of this exploration

This week we have been finding out answers to our specific research questions by using Britannica, websites, news articles, videos and interviewing experts. We focused on the following questions:

Where the issue is happening or has happened

The causes of the issue

The impacts of the issue

How humans respond to the issue or consequences of the issue

In language, the students will be reading different texts related to their own research topic. They will apply reading strategies such as determining main importance, skimming and scanning, and summarizing/paraphrasing.

In maths we continued our inquiry into place value and some of us have been exploring decimals. We have been finding out the number of tenths and hundredths in different decimal numbers and connecting this new knowledge to money and measurement.

How can you help at home:

Ask your child about his/her research, help identify resources and talk about appropriateness and relevance. Focus on the three main questions (causes, impacts and human responses).

Ask your child to show you how to log in to the library online resources. You can start with the link on the blog under Learning Links

This week we have been applying our understanding of how to raise awareness by making thought provoking artworks. We created draft ideas before receiving feedback and choosing the most thought provoking idea to focus on for our assessment. We have also been developing our writing skills by revising, editing and giving feedback on our narrative about deforestation.

We have been learning how to solve open ended maths challenges and have been focussing on articulating our reasons for using a particular strategy- for example, using manipulatives and drawing out the problem. We have also started exploring the concept of VALUE in maths.

How to help at home:

Look for examples of numbers at home that have value. Parents can guide with questions like: What is the value of the number? What does the value represent? (shoe size, oven, freezer, dashboard, scales)

Ask your child to reflect on their chosen art medium and the process of creating their art piece/performance.

Help extend your child’s inquiry by finding out more about their chosen art form and about other artists.

Reminders:

Athletics Day 10:10 – Thursday the 21st of September

Peace Parade 14:00 – Friday the 22nd of September

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Week 4

This week we are analysing facts, categorizing facts, identifying concepts and finding relationships between concepts to create generalisations or conclusions. The slideshow below shows images of how we recorded our thinking. We also deepened our understanding of the related concepts value and communication by creating thought provoking freeze frames. In order to provoke thought and raise awareness about deforestation, we are in the process of choosing our art medium for exhibition, writing narratives about deforestation and creating artworks in the style of Keith Haring.

We are continuing to develop our problem solving skills and growth mindset through a range of mathematical challenges.

How to help at home:

Ask your child to talk you through the learning process guided by the images below.

UOI- Finding out. This week we focused on the skill of investigating; choosing inquiry topics, developing questions and planning how we’re going to investigate. We further developed our observation skills and practiced interpreting art work both in the classroom and at the Luanda Art Space. We focused on the concept of perspective by looking at various interpretations of different artworks. We are learning how to develop criteria to assess an artwork that provokes thought and raise awareness.

Week of Inspirational Maths. Students in year 5 have been applying their maths skills while problem solving in collaborative group work. If you want to help your child become a better mathematician, please click here (link to website) to see how you can help at home. See attached PDF of parent handout. iMaths Handout

Language. In language we are writing narratives and have revisited the writing process. We are currently in the drafting stage of the writing process where we are focussing on getting our initial ideas onto paper and following our plan.

How parents can help at home:

Discuss ideas on how artists use the arts to raise awareness on particular issues. You may read books/articles, watch videos and talk to real artists. A sample video to start discussions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAy1zBtTbw

Read stories and talk about the issues behind it. Help your child make connections to these issues.

About Us

Welcome to our blog! We are a year 5 class in the PYP at LIS Angola. We aim to use this blog to share our learning with our LIS community and beyond. You are welcome to leave questions and comments. Thanks for dropping by!